Photo of Michael Phelps smoking pot? He says it's him

February 01, 2009

TAMPA, Fla. -- Olympic great Michael Phelps has acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper showed him smoking marijuana.

News of the World, a British tabloid, posted a picture with an accompanying story today that the publication says shows the 14-time Olympic gold medalist taking a hit from a bong at a college party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. The article's headline: WHAT A DOPE.

The article said that the photo was taken last November during a visit by Phelps to the campus to visit a girl he had been seeing. It also said that Phelps, described as "loud" and "obnoxious" by students, spent much of his time there partying.

The story also said the Phelps' representatives "went into a panic over our story and offered us a raft of extraordinary incentives not to run the bong picture."

In a statement released to The Associated Press, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture.

Phelps said: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."

While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there."

The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics, while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and apparently would have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances and even agreed to extra testing before the games. The case is unlikely to fall under any doping rules.

Marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, according to David Howman, executive director of the World Anti-Doping Agency. An athlete is subject to WADA sanctions only for a positive test that occurs during competition periods.

"We don't have any jurisdiction," Howman said. "It's not banned out of competition. It's only if you test positive in competition."